Happy New Year: Or is it?

I’ve been quiet for a month. Sorry about that, but things happened. Like the election, which I was very concerned about and had to keep a tab on. Happily though, 2015 has seen the installation of two leaders I am very chuffed about, and as I write my first blog of 2015, welcome to President Maithripala Sirisena and also to welcome Rev. Marc Billimoria as the new Warden of S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia. This may not mean a lot to most of you, but for some of us it means a huge amount. Hopefully, both men will be able to carry out their entrusted tasks with dignity and courage.

On then, to the important matters. Like cricket.

NZ Test Series

The Test matches in Christchurch and Wellington were comprehensive losses for Sri Lanka. Despite the loss I thought we competed in the first game and fought back manfully for the first half of the second Test. Nevertheless, with a Mahela sized hole to fill in the batting line up, even a Kumar Sangakkara double hundred couldn’t save us in Wellington.

There’s not a lot to say, except that Dimuth Karunaratne’s 150 in the first Test seems to have given him a place in the 15 to play the World Cup. Some might say that’s a gamble, given that Dimuth has played less than ten dayers to date. They would probably be right. But it seems like the Chief Selector has plonked on the fact that Dimuth showed ability in NZ conditions. It’s probably fair to say that Upul Tharanga and KJP, if they couldn’t succeed in Asia, won’t do so in NZ where most of our matches are played.

That’s a tough speculation. But no point speculating because the squad has been picked.

You can catch the review of the Test series here http://www.lankacricket.lk/reviews/%E0%B7%81%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%93-%E0%B6%BD%E0%B6%82%E0%B6%9A%E0%B7%8F%E0%B7%80-%E0%B7%84%E0%B7%8F-%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%80%E0%B7%83%E0%B7%93%E0%B6%BD%E0%B6%B1%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%AD%E0%B6%BA.

That’s the new video blog my mate and I are doing. We’ll have a lot of good chat coming up so keep visiting.

ODI Series

We’re almost halfway through the ODI series and with the last game being washed out, things don’t look fabulous in terms of preparation. Even if it was a loss, we needed to get a game in there. Especially for Dimuth Karunaratne, who is woefully short on ODI experience.

With the series tied at 1-1 going into the washed out third game and the fourth one tomorrow, it seems that the selectors are looking at playing both Thisara Perera and Jeevan Mendis. One is a batting all rounder and the other is a bowling all rounder. Both are half a batsman and half a bowler.

Now the problem with ODI cricket is that two halves don’t usually make one. In that a specialist is usually worth more to a team than the sum of the parts of an all rounder. In the first ODI Jeevan bowled all of one over for 5 runs. He didn’t bowl again. In the second match he bowled his 10 overs and ended up with a very good analysis of 1 for 47 and could have had another but for Hawkeye’s inherent flaws.

Then in the 3rd game, which went almost to 30 overs and Thisara getting pummelled, he didn’t get a ball at all, while Sachithra – our best bowler – was given 7 overs out of the 28 bowled. If Jeevan is going to play a part as a bowler, he needs to bowl. If Thisara is going to play a part as a bowler, he needs to bowl well. In the last three games he’s bowled 14 overs for 94 runs. That’s nearly 7 runs an over and not bowling in the power play. He also hasn’t really got a hit. So is he pulling his (considerable) weight.

In my opinion only one of Jeevan or Thisara can play. Let’s give it one more ODI and see how it pans out.

In better new Mahela Jayawardena seems determined and Sangakkara seems passionate. These two and their fire in the dressing room will be a huge shot in the arm for Angelo Mathews. If Lasith Malinga returns and Dilshan bats as he did in the second ODI we may give ourselves an outside chance.

There was speculation that Jayawardena will open. It seems that that speculation is now rubbish. Have we given ourselves the best chance of winning the Cup with this squad. Simply, no. Can we still win it. Yes. But with a huge amount of luck and form.

Lots more analysis on the squad on http://www.lankacricket.lk